17 Answers

The area known as North and South Carolina was once named “Carolina” by Charles II, but disputes over the government of the land in 1710 led to the split of North and South Carolina, so they’ve been separated for a long time.

As for North and South Dakota, they were formed from the Dakota Territory in 1889 because they wanted to separate the two population centers in the territory and there was pressure in the Senate to create two new states instead of one.

West Virginia is a little different; West Virginia split off from Virginia during the Civil War because they did not want to be part of the Confederacy.

Nonetheless, the essential answer is that the division is arbitrary and the result of temporary political expediency. I get what you are saying, it’s just that, if all she wants is a purely historical answer, then she should have checked Wiki, whereas she could have been asking if there is an abiding, sensible political or geographical reason.

When (if) you had to share a room when you were kid why didn’t you just merge the room and make it communal? Why was there a distinct line marking the difference between YOUR side and your sibling’s side?

Becuase people like their own distinct and personal area in which they have autonomy and control.

@squirbel: There is a West Virginia for civil war reasons. The pro-union western section of Virginia seceded from the confederacy (lol!) and joined the union. I guess they kept it as a separate state to honor that.

Theoretically South Carolina and North Carolina constituted a single province, but, as the settlements were far apart,there were always separate local governments. Until 1691 each had its own governors, from 1691 to 1712 there was usually a governor at Charleston and a deputy for the northern settlements, and after 1712 there were again separate governors.

The first attempt to define the boundary was made in 1732, but the work was not completed until 1815.
The colony was divided into North and South Carolina in 1712. In 1715–16 the settlers were attacked by the Yamasee, who had become resentful of exploitation by the Carolina traders. The uprising was finally quelled after much loss of life and property. These attacks further revealed the lack of protection afforded by the proprietors, and in 1719 the colonists rebelled and received royal protection. The crown sent Francis Nicholson as provincial royal governor in 1720, and South Carolina formally became a royal colony in 1729, when the proprietors finally accepted terms.
1712/May – The Carolina colony is officially divided into North Carolina and South Carolina.

To gailcalled there are two part of Michigan because Ohio and Michigan had a civil war over the land of Toledo. At the end of the war Ohio got Toledo and Michigan got the lands of the
Upper Peninsula. That is how the U.P became part of Michigan and not just another state.

Pretty good answer. They did battle over the port of Toledo, it was more of an argument (No Deaths)? Ohio was a State and Michigan just a Territory at the time, the U.S. Government awarded the Port to Ohio, and Granted the Upper Peninsula to Michigan. After time, Michigan gained a favorable deal with the Iron and Ore discovered there.